Golden Horde to bag Commonwealth prize

GOLDEN Horde can land the coveted spoils in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Clive Cox’s son of top-class sprinter Lethal Force, from the same stable, had form at the highest level last term.

His final run of last season, in pushing Earthlight to a neck in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, was arguably his best.

He had finished further behind the same horse when third in the Prix Morny in August to suggest he had improved in the meantime.

He probably does not have to improve too much to open his Group One account, having already claimed a Group Two success on the board in the Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last summer.

The runner-up went on to lift the Gimcrack and Champagne Stakes.

All of Golden Horde’s races were over six furlongs last yearand it is significant Cox has decided to keep him at that trip and not try him over further.

It may pay to take a chance with Elarqam on his first attempt over a mile and a half in the Hardwicke

Stakes. The immaculately-bred son of Frankel, out of Attraction, gave the impression on his latest run at Haydock the step up in trip could well suit.

Mark Johnston’s five-year-old had to make the running in a five-runner contest – and after being headed by Lord North he almost got back to the winner in the dying strides.

He has already shown he stays an extended 10 furlongs well at York, winning the Group Two Sky Bet Stakes and looking to be an unlucky third in the Group One Juddmonte International. The extra distance could see him in an even better light at this stage of his career.

Match fitness can see Berkshire Rocco give trainer Andrew Balding back-to-back victories in the Queen’s Vase. The Kingsclere handler was successful with Dashing Willoughby 12 months ago and has an excellent chance of repeating the trick.

Berkshire Rocco gave notice he could be a smart young stayer in the making when a gutsy second to English King in the Lingfield Derby Trial, with the third horse seven lengths away.